Weird but i just saw blake practicing with the team today and clippers just posted a pic on IG he was practicing with them.

botev1921

10/10/2013 - 03:22 PM PST

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This is great time for BG to have that kind of injury. Now not only he will be more careful, but the team can have a game without him, so we can see how the other PFs can handle more minutes. I wonder who will start, but by the looks of it could be Jamison over Byron!

Voyeur

10/10/2013 - 03:31 PM PST

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I'd definitely say Jamison...unless they surprise us with Amundson.

Voyeur

10/10/2013 - 04:24 PM PST

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Hmmm...well that sounds encouraging.

Clippersfan86

10/10/2013 - 05:30 PM PST

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Damn no Blake, no Redick and no Bullock for most of preseason. These are the 3 guys who I wanted to watch most.

tense2

10/10/2013 - 05:42 PM PST

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No big deal we have 7 more preseason games left. As long as they get in the last 2 or 3 games and healthy for the real deal, all is good.

hoopfanjd31

10/10/2013 - 05:58 PM PST

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Yeah, CP missed most of the preseason games last season and that ended up working out fine.

CP3Heliflopter

10/10/2013 - 08:37 PM PST

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It seems like BG usually gets injured during practice doing some ridiculous dunk -.-.

Seriously sometimes its just not worth it.

uncool

10/10/2013 - 08:39 PM PST

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PLAYA VISTA It was said when the Clippers signed free agent big men Byron Mullens and Antawn Jamison that the reserve duo would help open up the floor for play-making guards like Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford and Darren Collison.

Through two weeks of practice, one preseason game and Wednesday's open scrimmage, there have already been obvious benefits to Mullens and Jamison being on the court together.

"They stretch the court," Chris Paul said prior to Thursday's practice. "It has to leave the lane open, because if not those guys can shoot it they can shoot it better than a lot of guards. I think it gives us that balance of having two big guys in Blake [Griffin] and DeAndre [Jordan] with Mullens and [Jamison] in."

Jamison, who throughout his career has been known as one of the most versatile scorer's in the league, has made at least 84 3-pointers in the past four seasons, while Mullens has proven more than willing to step out beyond the arc as a 7-foot center.

Both reserve big men made 3-pointers in Portland on Monday and Jamison hit two in Wednesday's scrimmage. On one play, Mullens after receiving a kick out from Darren Collison used a ball fake to get his closing defender in the air and dribbled into an easy

20-footer from straightaway. It was one example of the pressure a so-called stretch big man can put on a defense.

Clippers head coach Doc Rivers was asked how many shots Mullens must make from the perimeter in a game to cause an opponent to view him as "credible."

"I don't think you have to be that credible, even though I think he is," Rivers said. "His percentage has not been very credible, but I think that's more shot selection because he can really shoot the basketball."

Mullens shot 28.4 percent on above the break 3-pointers last season, but Rivers thinks that will change within the context of the Clippers' offense.

GRIFFIN (KNEE) SITS OUT PRACTICE

"I think if you can make one in a game, then you've become credible immediately," he added. "I really believe that. He will be a credible 3-point shooter by the end of this year. It's important for us that he becomes that because I think the three is good for us and I think it's really good at that position because most defenses have their five in a soft position in pick and rolls and you can't be in a soft position in pick and rolls if that big is popping. So, that's what we want to create."

Paul and Collison have talked about the space Mullens and Jamison help create as well as fellow 3-point threats J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley, but the relationship is reciprocal. For every inch of space the fleet guards gain, the shooters are earning more and more open looks.

"If I'm doing a pick-and-roll with Darren as the ball-handler, what do you do [as a defender]?" Jamison asked. "Having such a great one-on-one player come off [the screen] and my man doesn't help, I'm setting the screen so he's downhill. If he does help, I'm popping. It's a luxury."

pageC4

10/10/2013 - 09:36 PM PST

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Man I hope Doc is right. I'm very worried about how low of a percentage Mullens has made in his shooting. A few more games of this and Doc should change strategies. Rather than shooting threes Mullens could take mid range shots. I guess we will see

cleepers

10/11/2013 - 09:46 AM PST

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^ I'd still rather see him behind the arc. If he's got it going - fire away, but if not - swing the ball to a wing or dribble, drive and get fouled.

Even at that dismal 28.4% from deep, it still equates to almost 43% if he's a few feet inside, and last year he only shot low-30's outside the paint - basically identical to his 3ptFG%.

Mid-range jumpers from streaky shooters are the last thing we need in my opinion.

comeONcraig

10/11/2013 - 04:59 PM PST

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Well, atleast we finally have a 2nd game tomorrow. Hopefully we see some progression and a smoother ran system. I'd like to actually see the bench be more effective than the game in Portland.

Silasie

10/12/2013 - 04:21 AM PST

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Yeah they looked pretty cluncky. To be expected though, cos Matt was out none of that second unit had played together before.